Lock, Stock and Saxhorn
by Vol lady
Summary: Thanks to Tauna for helping me out with this one – it wasn't going anywhere when I started it, but then she gave me an idea and things began to gel. The story involves a new dog and old sort-of friends. Be warned and grab the tissues – MINOR CHARACTER DEATH (it's not the dog).
1. Chapter 1

Lock, Stock and Saxhorn

Chapter 1

"What in the world is he bringing home now?" Nick said to Heath as they watched Jarrod pull in through the gate in a buggy with a very large crate in the back.

"Pappy got paid in something other than cash again," Heath said as he and Nick walked toward their brother, who was pulling to a stop in front of the house.

Jarrod was already out and unlashing the crate from the back when Nick and Heath arrived. "Just in time, boys," Jarrod said cheerfully. "Get this thing into the house for me, will you?"

"Not until I know what's in it," Nick said, refusing to even touch it.

"Will it bite?" Heath asked.

Jarrod laughed. "No, I just fed her about half an hour ago."

Nick actually jumped back when the crate made a half crying, half growling noise. "Jarrod, what the hell is in there?"

Victoria and Audra had come out of the house, and from their angle they could see what was in the crate. Audra burst into smiles. "Oh, my goodness! Is this a dog?"

"It is indeed," Jarrod said, "and she's been bred as a house dog, to keep guard from inside instead of outside. Her name is Daisy and she's as gentle as can be to the people she protects, but look out if you have bad intentions."

Nick was still scowling, but Heath got a better angle so he could see the end of the crate that had bars on it. As soon as he looked at the large, furry white bitch, he smiled. Daisy began to wag her tail so hard and fast that the crate began to rock.

"Bow howdy, she's a beauty," Heath said, resting the back of his hand against the bars and getting a happy lick in response.

Victoria put the back of her own hand against the bars, and so did Audra. They each were baptized the same as Heath was. But Nick was still wary. "I'm not too keen on having a horse in the house."

"Come on, Nick, let's just check her out," Heath said and reached for the crate.

Nick succumbed and took the end of the crate where Daisy could not see him. Together, they lifted the crate and carried it into the house, with the rest of the family following along.

"Couldn't you just have gotten money for a change?" Nick asked as he and Heath set the crate on the floor of the foyer.

Jarrod laughed. "Relax, Nick, you're gonna love her once you know her. She's smart, she's lovable, and she makes a great footstool."

Everyone but Nick laughed. Nick held back as Jarrod opened the barred end of the crate. Daisy stepped out slowly, but as soon as she was out, she shook all over and her entire back end was wagging to beat the band. She licked the hand of everyone in front of her – except Nick.

Then, suddenly, Daisy stood perfectly still and looked up at Nick. Nick looked her in the eye, too, and wondered if he was about to be attacked. He honestly didn't know what to do. "Jarrod – " he said warily.

Jarrod spoke to the dog. "Daisy, this is Nick. Nick, this is Daisy."

Hearing her name, Daisy began to wag her tail again, and she stepped closer to Nick, as if she understood they had just been introduced. Daisy moved her nose closer to Nick's right hand, nuzzling it, then moving her head into his hand so he would pet her.

Nick was sunk. He scratched Daisy's head, and Daisy moved her entire body against his leg, wagging like crazy. Nick actually smiled.

"One thing I've been told about Daisy," Jarrod said. "She protects her entire household, but she has a tendency to love one person more than others, usually a man. Nick, I think you're it."

Nick smiled even more, but he said, "Jarrod, how the heck are we gonna handle something this big in the house?"

"She's been raised in a house, Nick," Jarrod said. "She's very careful around furnishings, very clean. When she needs to go outside, she'll scratch you a little with her right front paw."

"She's right-handed?" Heath asked.

"Looks like it," Jarrod said.

Suddenly, Daisy was scratching Nick's leg with her right front paw. "What do I do now?" Nick asked. "Just let her out?"

"Yeah," Jarrod said. "She can go alone and she'll give one sharp bark at the door when she's ready to come back in, but why don't you go out with her, since this is her first time here? She might want to have a look around outside."

Nick opened the door for her. "I wonder how she's gonna get along with the outside dogs."

Daisy trotted outside, and Nick followed along.

"I guess we'll find out," Heath said.

XXXXXX

From the kitchen window, Victoria just laughed at what she was seeing outside. Audra joined her, and she couldn't help but laugh too. There was Nick, Daisy beside him, the three dogs that lived outside dancing around the both of them with tails going like crazy. Daisy was sticking close to Nick, but she was wagging her tail like crazy too, and Nick was wearing a big silly grin.

"They've been out there for half an hour," Audra said.

"Getting to know one another," Victoria said. "Nick is acting like he just got a new sister he wants to show around."

"Look at the way Daisy looks at him. She already adores him."

"Well, you looked at him pretty much the same way the first time you saw him," Victoria said.

"Are you saying I've been replaced?" Audra asked, not seriously.

"No," Victoria said. "Nick has a big heart. It has room for a lot of love. I suspect that's what Daisy figured out about him right away, just like you did."

When it came time for drinks together before dinner, the whole family got a charge out of Nick and Daisy. Jarrod was right about Daisy being a great footstool. Nick sat in one of the armchairs in the living room, and Daisy was directly under his feet, lying still but attentive.

"What are we gonna do when Nick and I go out into the field tomorrow?" Heath asked. "Is Daisy gonna want to go along?"

"No, I doubt it," Jarrod said. "She's a house dog. She already knows what her job is and where's she's supposed to be. I don't think I've ever run into a more intelligent dog. That's why I was happy to accept her as my fee."

"I'm surprised her family gave her up," Nick said, reaching down and scratching Daisy's ear. Her tail wagged a little.

"One of Daisy's pups has taken over the duties in their house," Jarrod said. "Daisy was getting a bit restless for someone to protect."

"What breed of dog is she, Jarrod?" Victoria asked.

"A mix, maybe two or three breeds out of central Europe, so I'm told," Jarrod said.

"You know, we don't get too many invasions of the house," Victoria said. "Is she going to get restless?"

"I don't know," Jarrod said, "but I get the feeling she'll have plenty to do now that she's adopted Nick."

"Maybe she knew right away that he'd be the one needing protection from trouble," Heath said.

"Hey, now," Nick said. "What commands does she know?"

Jarrod said, "Well, let's see if these all still work if it's not Nick saying them. Daisy!"

Daisy lifted her head alertly and looked at Jarrod, who was standing by the mantle.

Jarrod said, "Daisy, come."

Daisy got up, leaving Nick to put his feet on the floor. Daisy was at Jarrod's side instantly, sitting down, looking up at him.

Jarrod petted her. "Daisy, speak," Jarrod said.

Daisy barked once and kept looking up at him.

"Daisy, lie down," Jarrod said.

Daisy lay down at his feet. She didn't look up at him anymore, but her eyes were checking out Victoria and Audra on the settee.

"It looks like Daisy is settling in," Audra said.

Jarrod nodded. "I think you'll find she's a good addition to the house. If we're lucky, we'll never need her to protect us from invaders, but if we do, I'll bet she'll do the job."

Nick said, "Daisy, come."

Daisy immediately got up and went to Nick.

"Daisy, lie down," Nick said, and Daisy lay down at his feet. Nick put his feet atop her. He smiled. He had his footstool back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Daisy gave them a surprise when they all moved toward the dining room for dinner. She followed along with Nick – until he went through the door to the hallway, whereupon Daisy sat down at the doorway and just stayed there. No one even noticed until they were entering the dining room. Then they all stopped and looked, and there was Daisy, sitting and waiting at the entrance to the hall, watching them.

"Huh," Nick said. "She's not gonna move from room to room until we tell her to, is she?"

"Apparently not," Victoria said, "and frankly, I'd rather not have her in the dining room or the kitchen."

Jarrod said, "Daisy – stay."

Daisy pricked up her ears, and then turned around and went back into the foyer. She circled around in place and lay down near the small table there, where she could watch the family in one direction and the front door in another.

At bedtime it was the same. One by one the family climbed the stairs, until only Nick and Jarrod were left sharing brandy in the living room. Daisy stayed as Nick's footstool, until Nick finally said, "Well, I'm going to bed."

"Good night, Nick," Jarrod said and stayed in his thinking chair as Nick got up and headed for the stairs. He started up. Jarrod's "Hey, Nick," made him stop on the fourth step up.

Nick turned and looked at Jarrod. Jarrod pointed at Daisy, waiting dutifully at the foot of the steps, looking up at Nick. Nick chuckled. "It looks like she really has adopted me."

"If you don't want her to go with you, tell her to stay down here," Jarrod said. "She'll stay where you put her."

Nick actually had to give it some thought. When he was a kid, he remembered having a dog who slept at the foot of his bed. It was comforting in its way. But Daisy was a guard dog. She had her duty to do. She was just waiting to be told what it was.

"Daisy, stay," Nick said.

Daisy turned and lay down beside the small table in the foyer. She gave a big sigh and closed her eyes.

Nick and Jarrod smiled at one another. "You brought home a good fee, Pappy," Nick said.

Jarrod smiled and continued sipping on his brandy, while Nick climbed the stairs. Once on the second floor landing, he looked down and saw Daisy resting beside the table. With a smile, he went on to bed.

XXXXX

Daisy stayed right where she was until Silas got up in the morning. She had met Silas the night before and was ready to do his bidding, but she had business of her own to attend to. As Silas came in to light the lamps in the morning, just as the sun was coming up, Daisy got up, approached him, and scratched his leg.

Silas laughed. "Outside, is it, Miss Daisy?" He couldn't help calling her "Miss Daisy." She just seemed to command the respect. Silas let her outside and went about lighting the lamps, then he went back to the kitchen to get breakfast ready.

Nick was the first one down – and he stopped when he saw Daisy wasn't where he had left her the night before. He looked around, surprised to find he was worried, until he heard a single "Woof!" outside the front door. With a smile, he remembered and he opened the door.

Daisy trotted in, turned around and sat down to face him, waiting for whatever his orders would be now. Nick gave her a scratch behind the ear. She wagged her tail. "Daisy, stay," he said.

Daisy took her place by the table in the foyer – it appeared it was going to be her "on duty" spot. As each person came down to breakfast, they petted her and wished her good morning before telling her to stay. Daisy did as she was told.

"That dog is amazing," Victoria said as the family ate together.

Audra gave a glance into the foyer where Daisy was lying and smiled. "I'll bet the orphans would love to meet her."

"Not just yet, I don't think," Jarrod said. "We need her to get accustomed to being here, so she knows this is the house she's supposed to guard. Give it a week or two, and then Nick will take her to town with you."

"Me?" Nick asked.

"You're the one she's adopted," Jarrod said. "She'd be most comfortable leaving the property with you."

"I don't know. She looked pretty comfortable when you rode up with her."

Jarrod smiled a little. "Nick, turn around and just have a look at her. See what happens."

Nick did that. The minute his eyes were on Daisy, her ears pricked up and she lifted her head, ready to do whatever Nick wanted. Nick smiled and said, "Daisy, stay," and she lay back down again.

Audra laughed. "She's yours, Nick."

"I wonder why," Heath mused. "I mean, what is it about Nick that made her adopt him?"

"He's most likely to get into trouble without her," Jarrod said.

"Funny," Nick said.

"I think she knows a softee when she sees one," Audra said.

"I just hope she knows trouble when she sees it," Nick said. "It would be good to have an early warning system around here."

"She's it," Jarrod said. "Just pay attention to how she reacts to different people, see if it pans out. I'm not saying throw somebody out if she doesn't like him, but see if her instincts are that good. Keep an eye on somebody she doesn't like."

"What does she do when she doesn't like someone?" Heath asked.

"A low growl," Jarrod said. "A very alert look in the eye without a tail wag to go with it. She'll let us know."

XXXXXXX

Over the next week, Daisy settled in as if she had been there all along. She was always at her "on duty" spot, unless someone ordered her somewhere else or she had to go outside. She had tail wags and attentiveness for everyone in the household, but still saved her special attentions for Nick. And Nick was falling in love, too.

Daisy was on duty when Jarrod was about to leave for the day. He gave her a scratch on the head, and she gave him a tail wag. "See you later, Daisy, stay," he said.

The knock at the door came just as Jarrod was reaching for the knob to go out. He opened the door, and there stood Phil Archer. Startled, Jarrod said, ""Phil! I'm surprised to see you out our way. Come in."

Archer removed his hat and entered, saying, "Thank you, Jarrod. We need to talk."

"Oh?" Jarrod said, leading Archer to the living room. "Has something happened?"

"Yes, and I thought I'd better talk to you personally."

Suddenly, Daisy raised her head and gave a low growl. Archer froze, looking toward her lying next to the table. "What's that?"

Daisy's growl grew prolonged. Her eyes were set on Archer.

Jarrod was not surprised. Nobody liked Archer much. "It's all right, Daisy," he said to the dog. "Stay."

Daisy stopped growling. She laid her head back down but did not take her eyes off Archer.

"New guard dog," Jarrod said. "I got her as a fee in one of my cases."

"Can she stop staring at me?" Archer asked.

Jarrod thought the man was beginning to sweat. He smiled but stifled a laugh. "Probably not. You're someone new and she's figuring you out."

Jarrod knew that was a lie. Daisy had already figured Archer out and come to the same conclusion as everyone else who ever met him did. Jarrod led Archer a little further away from her.

"What can I do for you, Phil?" Jarrod asked.

Archer kept an eye on Daisy for a moment but then looked back at Jarrod. "We have a problem I thought I'd better talk to you myself about. Nat Springer came into town yesterday."

"Nat?" Jarrod said, surprised. "I wonder why he's around. There's no big case to attract his attention here."

"There wasn't yesterday," Archer said. "He said he was going to rent a horse and head up to the mountains to go fishing for a few days. But now he's in jail instead."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jarrod nearly jumped when Archer told him Nat Springer was in jail. "Jail? What in heaven for?"

"He's accused of murdering one of Big Annie's girls last night," Archer said.

Jarrod could have fallen down right where he stood. Not because Nat had seen one of Big Annie's girls – he'd always been that kind of man, even though he'd been married for years. But murder? "That's crazy."

"Since I knew him from law school too, this is awkward, but I'll be prosecuting. No choice. We just don't have the staff. But he wants you to defend him, and Jarrod, I think you should turn him down."

Now Jarrod was very curious. "Why? Is his guilt that clear?"

Archer sighed. "The woman was found in her room with a knife wound. Nat was found in his hotel room with blood on the sleeves of his shirt. He says he cut himself shaving last night." Archer shrugged.

It sounded pretty lame to Jarrod, too. "Phil, I ought to talk to him before I decide whether to defend him or not."

"If you think you should, Jarrod, but three law school buddies involved in a trial like this one, and one of them being Nat Springer who loves the press coverage…"

"He'd probably use it to work himself free, if he can," Jarrod said. "I'll come into town and talk to him, Phil. But I might decide to take the case."

"It's up to you, but the publicity you're going to get might not do anything for your legal career."

Jarrod smiled. "When has that ever concerned me?"

"It ought to concern you this time. I'm only saying."

Phil started back for the door. Daisy watched him, raised her head and growled again. Archer left a little more quickly than he planned.

Jarrod closed the front door behind him, then went to Daisy. She wagged her tail and he scratched her ear. "You're right about him, Daisy. He bears watching. He just doesn't want me on this case because he doesn't want to lose as publicly as this is going to turn out to be."

"Maybe he has a point."

Jarrod looked up to see his mother in the hall from the kitchen. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to hear what Mr. Archer wanted," she said and came in. "You know I'm not fond of either him or Mr. Springer, not after cases involving Heath that we didn't get any favors from either one of them."

"Well, it's not Phil's job to grant favors to defendants or defendants' lawyers, but you're right about Nat. I still don't see him murdering anyone though, especially not a woman. I'll go talk to him."

"For your sake, I hope he's worth defending, since I know you'll do it."

Jarrod smiled and gave her a kiss. "I might not be home for dinner so don't hold it for me if I'm not here on time."

"Be careful with this, Jarrod," Victoria said.

Jarrod nodded. "Try not to worry. This won't be dangerous."

Jarrod left and went out the door. As it closed, Victoria looked down at Daisy, who looked back up at her and wagged her tail a bit. Victoria said, "I wish you could predict the future, too, Daisy."

Daisy sighed and laid her head back down.

XXXXXXXX

Nat Springer in jail was a helluva sight. Normally perfectly groomed, he always looked worth every cent of the bags full of money that he had, but not today. He had been arrested the night before. Now he was unshaven, disheveled and distraught. But Jarrod cut him some slack. He knew he'd probably look like that too if he were facing charges of murdering a working girl.

"Saying hello doesn't seem to cut it this time, Nat," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, I didn't kill that girl," Springer said quickly. He held his wrists up so Jarrod could see his sleeves. "Look. You know as well as I do that this isn't the amount of blood you'd see if I had murdered someone. This is from cutting myself shaving. Here." He pointed to a sizable nick on his face.

"Nat, I talked to the sheriff a bit," Jarrod said. "They found Mandy Peale with the knife still in her, not much external bleeding. And two sleeves with bloodstains like that – that's an awful lot for getting cut shaving. You're in a lot of trouble."

Springer heaved a very unhappy sigh and turned away.

"Tell me what happened last night," Jarrod said. "Did you spend some time alone with that girl?"

"Yes," Springer said, embarrassed. "I – well, you know how it is."

"I know how it is for a widower like me," Jarrod said, "but you're a happily married man. Why would you risk this and all the stuff that goes with it that you can take home to your wife?"

"Every man gets foolish now and then, Jarrod."

"What time did you go to her room, and what time did you leave?" Jarrod asked.

"I went in after nine, left maybe fifteen or twenty minutes later," Springer said.

 _Well, at least it wasn't five minutes_ , Jarrod though. "How was she when you left?"

"Happy! She wanted ten dollars. I gave her twenty. I left and went back to my hotel and half an hour later the sheriff was banging on my door."

"That's hardly time for the girl to get found, Nat, much less for someone else to get in and kill her. That doesn't bode well for you."

"Jarrod, I didn't do it. She was fine when I left."

"All right," Jarrod said. "What are you doing in Stockton in the first place? Don't tell me it was to go fishing. I'm not buying that."

Springer hesitated but then said, "I got wind of a deal."

"What kind of a deal?"

"A business opportunity I didn't want you to get to first."

"Who were you here to see?"

"Wally Miles."

Not a name that gave Jarrod fond memories, even if he himself had been born at the Miles ranch. He didn't know if Springer knew of the now years-old rift between the Barkleys and the Mileses, and he didn't want to fill Springer in on it if he didn't know. "Did you see him?"

"No," Springer said. "I was to see him today at the hotel. Can you go talk to him for me?"

"I'll make sure he knows where you are, but I won't talk to him about the business deal. When you left Mandy, did you see anyone who might have been going in there after you?"

"No, but the parlor was full. Maybe Annie can help you."

"Annie doesn't necessarily require names of her customers. All right, Nat. I'll take your case if you're sure you want to hire me."

"Thank you, Jarrod. Of course I do. Can you get me out of here on bail or something?"

"I'll try at your preliminary hearing this afternoon, but don't hold your breath. Since you don't live here, you're a flight risk."

"And Archer's not likely to vouch for me. He likes me less than he likes you."

"Yeah. He didn't want me to take your case at all."

Springer sighed. "It figures."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jarrod left Springer in his cell and stopped to talk to Sheriff Madden before he left. "I'll tell you, Jarrod, I am not looking forward to this," was the first thing the sheriff said.

"I can't say I am either," Jarrod said. "Fill me in some more, Fred. Who found the girl's body?"

"Her visitor who came in after Springer," the sheriff said. "Found her dead in her room with that knife sticking in her."

"What time was that?"

"A bit past nine-thirty. I got over there just before ten. I was out on rounds and they had to find me."

"Who came to get you?"

"Angelina, one of Annie's other girls. Archer came in right after me, just after Doc Merar got there."

"Archer came?" Jarrod was surprised. "Who sent for him?"

"I sent for Davison but Dan found Archer first."

Dan was the deputy. "What made you go after Springer?"

"Annie said he was Mandy's last john. I went on over to the hotel, found him trying to get cleaned up but when I saw the blood on his sleeves, I knew I had to arrest him."

"He says he cut himself shaving."

"Yeah, that's what he said to me and he was shaving when I got there. Says he has a heavy beard and always shaves twice a day."

"Yeah, he has since I've known him. He's a fastidious man. I'm surprised he was shaving with his shirt on, though."

"So was I but he told me he was just in a hurry to clean up, considering who he had been with."

Jarrod sat down on the edge of the desk. "I just get the feeling that something isn't adding up."

"It adds up pretty well to me, Jarrod," the sheriff said.

"But why would he stab the girl? There was nothing personal. He didn't even know her."

"It could have been a robbery."

"Why would a rich man like Nat rob a prostitute?" Jarrod shook his head. "He wouldn't. Did you find any money on her?"

"Twenty dollars."

What Springer said he gave her. Jarrod shook his head. "No robbery. Fred, this is a flimsy case."

"Not rock solid, I grant you," Sheriff Madden said, "but the blood on Springer's shirt and the fact that he was the last man seen with her – I gotta tell you, it's looking bad for him. And as for lack of a motive, you know that doesn't mean much when the evidence is doing the talking. I don't care much why a man kills someone when the evidence says he did the killing, and neither will a jury."

Jarrod nodded. "I know. That was always the opening of my closing argument when I was a prosecutor. It almost always worked."

"The preliminary hearing is at two."

Jarrod nodded. "I'll be entering my appearance. Nat is an old friend, and I don't believe he did this, but even if it turns out he did, I'll fight for his life."

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

"I'm gonna try to get him bail, too."

"Go ahead and try, but if you do and he takes off, you're gonna face a lot of 'the Barkleys are helping their rich friends get away with it.'"

"From you too?" Jarrod asked.

"I know better than to make that argument, but I am gonna be one mad sheriff if I have to go chasing Springer down again."

"If I get him bail, he's coming out to the ranch whether he likes it or not."

"Fine with me, but if he crosses you and takes off, it's gonna hurt you in this town and you know it."

"If I thought he'd take off, I wouldn't ask for bail."

Sheriff Madden sighed. "I hope you're right, Jarrod."

XXXXXXX

Arraignment came and Jarrod pleaded Springer not guilty. When he asked for bail, the judge resisted, but granted it so long as Springer went to the Barkley ranch and stayed there. Jarrod knew his family was now essentially Springer's jailers, and he knew that wasn't going to go over very well at the house.

And he was right. When he got Springer home, Victoria and Audra were in the living room, finishing up some hand sewing repair work on the men's work clothes. They smiled to hear Jarrod come in – and frowned to see Springer with him.

Jarrod noticed Daisy lying in her duty spot. She opened her eyes and looked at him and Springer, but then just closed her eyes again. She apparently didn't worry about Springer as much as she disliked Archer.

"Mother, Audra, I think you remember my old friend Nat Springer," Jarrod said and quickly added, "He's out on bail in my custody so he'll be our guest for a while."

"Ladies," Springer said, tipping his hat. He was carrying his suitcase and looking for all the world like a little kid lost alone at a train station.

"Mr. Springer," Victoria said. "Jarrod, I suppose you'll fill us in on the details after your brothers get home."

 _Boy, that isn't going to go well_ , Jarrod thought. Springer was beginning to think he'd have been better off staying in jail, given the frostiness in the room. Jarrod said, "We'll talk about this later. Nat, let me take you up to your room so you can get cleaned up."

Jarrod took Springer to one of the guest rooms and showed him the wc. When Jarrod came back down, his brothers were there. He could tell from the looks on all the faces that they knew Springer was going to be staying with them for a while.

"Are you out of your mind?" Nick said straight away. "After what he did with Heath's trial last year – "

"I know what he did, Nick," Jarrod interrupted, "but we parted on friendly terms and he needs my help now."

"That doesn't mean you had to bring him here."

"It was the only way I could get him out of jail. The trial starts in a week and it'll be over in a day or two."

"Do you really think he's innocent, Jarrod, or did he kill that girl?" Heath asked.

"I think it doesn't add up," Jarrod said. "The evidence is against him but it's not strong. I need a lot of time with him and I'm going to have to spend a lot of time nosing around town. I know I'm putting a lot on you, but I need to be sure he stays here, and that might be the toughest chore of all. Please, help me out."

They hesitated, but Nick ultimately said, "Can he herd cattle?"

"I doubt it," Jarrod said. "It might not hurt him to try."

"The question is, will his being here hurt any of us?" Victoria asked.

Heath tried a reassuring smile. "You know, I might just enjoy the heck out of getting Springer out there smelling like beef on the hoof. It might give me a little sense of justice I still need from that trial he 'defended' me in."

Now Nick smiled. "It might at that. All right, Jarrod. You do the legal work. We'll get Springer earning his keep on the back of a horse."

Even Jarrod smiled. "I get to tell him, though."

Now Audra was smirking. "You are all wicked, you know that?"

They all nodded. Jarrod said, "Yeah, we know it."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It didn't take long for Nick and Heath to figure out that Springer was never going to be a herder of cows. He looked distinctly uncomfortable when Jarrod gave him the news after dinner, and he looked even more uncomfortable the next day when Nick and Heath took him out onto the range, not to mention he looked silly in Nick's old clothes. Oh, he could sit a horse all right but as for maneuvering one the way a wrangler needed to, forget it. Nick and Heath let him try it for a couple hours, making sure he did not actually get close enough to the cattle that he might get hurt or get anyone else hurt. It all gave Nick and Heath and the other men a few laughs, but around mid morning they took Springer off the line and handed him to Old Jube at the chuck wagon.

That was pretty entertaining to watch too, see that fancy San Francisco lawyer who hands were more lily white than Jarrod's ever were trying to clean pots and make stew. "He ain't so good at that either, is he?" Heath noted.

"No, but he needs to spend some time doing it," Nick said.

"I hope the food is edible," Heath said. "We're gonna be hearing about it if it isn't."

He needed have worried. Old Jube supervised and lunch came out fine. The only problem was that Springer was already looking tired and sore.

"Think you can hang in there for the rest of the day, Springer?" Nick asked.

Springer was a bit surly when he said it, but also a bit determined. "Try me."

XXXXXXX

When they brought Springer home from the field, the man was so sore he could hardly move faster than a tortoise. Climbing the stairs brought smirks from the family below, but no one laughed out loud, even though they wanted to. The most that happened was that Heath said it was a very gratifying day. They let Springer have first crack at the wc and a bath.

Jarrod came in from town about 45 minutes later. He looked around and worried when he didn't see Springer. "Relax," Nick said. "He's upstairs cleaning up."

"How did he do?" Jarrod asked.

Snickers went around. "He's a tenderfoot," Heath said. "It was fun."

Jarrod chuckled but lost it when Victoria asked how his day went. "Not as well as I would have liked. Do you think my client is out of the bathroom?"

"We heard him moving around up there a few minutes ago," Nick said.

Jarrod headed upstairs, saying, "I better talk to him about my day before I talk to you."

In a few moments, Jarrod knocked on Springer's door and entered when he was invited. Springer was sitting on the bed, pulling boots on. He was back in a business suit now, looking like his true self and not the urban cowboy who had left in the morning.

"How are you feeling?" Jarrod asked.

"Sore," Springer said. "I worked myself to the bone and was the butt of a lot of jokes, but I'll still take it over jail. What did you learn today?"

Jarrod sighed. "Nothing all that helpful I'm afraid. Annie and her girls still insist you were the last one with Mandy before she was discovered dead. Nobody else went up there."

"How many men were already up there?" Springer asked.

"Four," Jarrod said, "and I have their names but they wouldn't mean much to you. I talked with two of them. I'm still trying to track down the other two. There's also an unlocked back door that could be pertinent. None of the girls were anywhere they could have seen someone coming and going between the time you left and the time they found Mandy. Anybody could have gotten in there."

"That can work for us," Springer said hopefully.

Jarrod nodded. "It could. I still have a few people to talk to. Are you up for a few more days as a wrangler?"

"I'm a cook now, not a wrangler. But I'd do it for the rest of my life if it would save me from a rope."

"Are you still adamant that we don't sent for your wife? It might help if the jury saw her here."

Springer hesitated. "How do I tell her I was with a prostitute who was murdered?"

"You just straight out confess and beg her to forgive you. She is gonna find out sooner or later."

"I know. Let me think about it."

"All right," Jarrod said and headed for the door. "Come down for some scotch when you're ready."

"Jarrod – "

Jarrod stopped at the door.

"What do you make of Phil Archer being on this case?" Springer asked. "Is that good or bad, to your thinking?"

"I don't know," Jarrod said. "He doesn't do me any favors but I don't think he'd obstruct justice in any way just to get at me. How is he with you? I know he left law school mad at the world and you and me in particular."

"I haven't had anything to do with him," Springer said. "I haven't even been to Stockton except for that case involving your brother, and Archer wasn't involved with that. You really stuck it to me on that one, you know. I'm glad the bad feeling isn't tiding over."

"I never had any bad feeling toward you, Nat. I just knew you weren't handling my brother the way he wanted to be handled, and for a while there I let you get to me with those visions of Heath at the end of a rope. But that's all passed now. And Phil just drew the short straw on this. He was around, so he got the case. If he has any bad feeling toward you, I don't think it will make him do anything illegal or unethical. He hasn't been that way toward me and he hates my guts."

Springer chuckled. "Well, I'll keep hoping you get to the bottom of this before we ever get to a trial, but if we do go to trial, I'm glad you'll be defending me."

Jarrod smiled a little. "Come on down for some scotch and some dinner. You need to get yourself fortified for another day on the range."

Springer groaned.

XXXXXXX

Come Monday morning Jarrod headed into town and went to see the District Attorney, Sam Davison, before he did anything else. Davison hadn't been around for Jarrod to talk to him, and he had some questions he needed answers to. First, he wondered why no one had gone to Davison's home the night of the murder to fetch him, grabbing Archer off the street first. "Were you away from home?" Jarrod asked. "I thought they always went for you first when there's been something like this."

"No, I was at home," Davison said. "Archer was just closer to the scene than I was. I didn't ask Archer how he happened to be closer to things. It happens sometimes – somebody looking for me runs into him first, so he takes the case. People are supposed to come to me but Fred can take whoever he finds first."

"You don't have any problem with him handling this case, what with him knowing my client personally and the likelihood this case will get a lot of press?"

"No, he's more than capable, and we're short-handed. There's only him and me in the office."

Something about all this still bothered Jarrod, although he didn't know what or why. He thought he'd better find out why someone might have found Archer first, on a Friday night in town. Archer lived outside of town, and he was not a night owl. What was he doing in town on a Friday night?

Davison saw the wheels turning in Jarrod's head. "Why does that bother you? It's not unusual for our office."

"Was Phil working late, do you know?"

"No, not that I know of."

"Then why was he here? He doesn't live in town, and you know Phil. He doesn't hit the saloons, doesn't go to Big Annie's – " Jarrod stopped himself. From what he knew about Archer, he wouldn't go to Big Annie's and no one had placed him there before Mandy was found – but why did the fact that they found him before they found Davison bother him so?

Davison started to laugh. "Phil Archer at Big Annie's? That's ludicrous, Jarrod."

"Why?" Jarrod asked, very seriously. "Pardon my putting it this way, but just because he's a worm doesn't mean he's not a man."

"Jarrod, he's – well, you know."

"Yes, I do know," Jarrod said, "but what do I know? I know what he wants me to know. Who says he's told me everything there is to know?"

Davison leaned back in his chair. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"I do," Jarrod said, "and I don't even like thinking it, much less saying it, but I've got to check into it. I need to talk to Fred Madden and find out exactly where he or his deputy or whoever he sent looking for you ran into Phil first."

"Well, now you've got me wondering," Davison said. "If you turn anything up that puts Phil in a bad situation – criminal or not – I think I better know about it."

"Do you want to go with me to see Fred?" Jarrod asked.

Davison got up. "Maybe I better."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jarrod and Davison were in the sheriff's office in a matter of minutes, but Sheriff Madden didn't have an answer to their question. "I sent Dan for you, Sam, but he came back with Archer. I really don't know where he found him."

"Where is Dan?" Jarrod asked.

"I sent him to the post office to pick up the mail."

Sheriff Madden no sooner said that then his deputy came in, carrying the mail. When everyone stopped and looked up at him, Dan stopped and said, "What?"

Davison asked, "The other night when Mandy was killed, the sheriff sent you to get me, didn't he?"

Dan put the mail on the desk, saying, "Yeah, but I ran into Archer first, so I followed what we normally do and brought him instead. Shouldn't I have done that?"

Davison said, "No, it's fine, but where exactly did you run into him?"

Dan thought. "Wow, it was dark…"

"Think hard, Dan," Jarrod said. "It might be important."

"Well, it wasn't too far from Big Annie's," Dan said. "Yeah, maybe two or three blocks. I thought it was kind of funny, Archer being there, but then I figured he was working on a case or something."

Jarrod looked at Davison. Davison said, "I don't know if he was working on anything that would bring him to that part of town."

"What do you want to do about this?" Sheriff Madden asked.

"Better let me talk to him first," Davison said. "He might have an explanation."

"Dan," Jarrod said, "could you tell where Archer was coming from?"

"No, not really, he was just suddenly there," Dan said.

Davison and Jarrod both looked at the sheriff, who got the message. "Dan, keep all of this to yourself for the time being."

"Sure," Dan said. "Do you want me to take a walk?"

Sheriff Madden smiled. Dan knew where his place was and where it wasn't, and right now the sheriff was going to have a talk with Davison and Jarrod that Dan didn't belong in on. "Yeah, take about ten minutes," Sheriff Madden said, and Dan left.

Jarrod said, "Sam, this could get touchy."

"I know," Davison said, "but let's not get worried before I see if Phil had a good reason for being where he was."

"No, wait a minute," Jarrod said. "I've got an interest in checking on this, too, Sam. I'm happy to let you take first crack, but I have to ask questions of my own if I'm going to represent my client adequately."

Davison nodded. "Let me talk to Phil first. Then you and I can touch base and go from there."

"Fine," Jarrod said, "you talk to Phil first, but I'll follow up with him and talk to whomever else I have to."

Davison nodded. "I understand. Let me go find Phil and we'll have at it."

After Davison left, the sheriff cast a suspicious eye on his old friend Jarrod. "You can't honestly believe that Phil Archer had anything to do with this girl's murder."

Jarrod sighed. "Frankly, I don't know what I believe."

"Archer is a pill and a pain in your side, I know, but a murderer? I don't see it. I don't think the man would have the guts."

"It's not likely, I'll admit, but you know what a man can do in the heat of the moment. God knows, I do."

"Look, Jarrod, since your wife was killed and you went off the deep end, you've been ready to believe anybody could do it, but Archer? That's preposterous."

"I hope so but you're right," Jarrod admitted what was for him, a hard truth. "I believe anybody can turn to murder if the circumstances are right."

"And what circumstances would prompt a milquetoast like Archer to stab a woman, a prostitute? You know as well as I do he wouldn't go anywhere near a prostitute."

"I wouldn't think he would either, but it's not impossible. He is a man, after all."

"Well, I expect if he was with her and he did kill her, you're the man who'll find out."

"If Davison doesn't," Jarrod said, and he actually hoped it would be Davison who found out the truth, if that's what the truth was.

XXXXXXX

Jarrod went to his office to catch up on a couple things, and that's where he was when Davison found him. He came in without a word and sat down in the chair in front of Jarrod's desk. Jarrod put his pen down and leaned back in his chair. "Well?" Jarrod said when Davison didn't speak.

"Archer says he was in that part of town because he was looking for a witness in one of his cases," Davison said. "He says he wasn't anywhere near Big Annie's before Dan came and got him."

"Did he tell you what witness he was looking for? What case?"

Davison sighed. "Yeah. I can't tell you who or what case, but I don't think it will matter much to you, because even I don't believe him."

Jarrod straightened. "Why not?"

"The case and the witness don't go together. I'm gonna go look for the man myself and see what he has to say, but I don't like this. I'm taking the Springer case over. I told Archer."

"How did he take it?"

"Uneasy. Not really surprised, but uneasy."

"Sam, I'm still gonna want to talk to Archer, and I'll want to talk to this witness he was looking for after you do, if it turns out he's pertinent to the Springer case."

Davison nodded. "I'll reveal him to you if it turns out he is. If it turns out Phil is lying, then we're going to have an entirely different situation on our hands."

"Did you ask Phil point blank if he had anything to do with Mandy's murder?"

"Not yet. I don't want him running scared if he is involved. I need more than we have right now for me to change my thinking. I still see Springer as our man."

"And I don't," Jarrod said. "Sam, you do whatever investigation you think you need to do, and I'll do mine. But the first thing I want to do is depose Phil."

"I thought you might want to do that. Tomorrow morning good enough?"

"Let's make it the day after," Jarrod said. "I want a little time to run down a few things."

Davison got up. "All right. Talk to whoever you want, except I want you to keep Phil to a deposition, at least for now. But if you find out anything major, I want to know. If Springer is the wrong guy, I don't want to bring him to trial. Things will be bad enough if it's Phil we're about to hang."

Jarrod had thought about that, but didn't say anything. If Phil Archer did kill Mandy, he would probably hang, and that would be a disaster for Stockton. To have a man who had been a prosecutor for years, executed for murdering a prostitute –

As Davison left and the door closed, Jarrod got up and paced to the window behind his desk. Whether it was Springer who killed the girl or Archer, it was going to be fodder for the press for weeks.

"Damn," Jarrod breathed, and watched Davison leave the building and head back to the courthouse.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jarrod pocketed his pad and pencil and went on the hunt, to Big Annie's place and nearby. He spoke to Big Annie and all of her girls, got as much information about Mandy as he could, and got Annie to let him search Mandy's room. From there, he scoured the neighborhood, talking to every bartender, shopkeeper, and streetwalker he could buttonhole. Respectable people didn't frequent this part of town, but when he spotted one, he talked to that man, too. He talked to so many people that by the end of the day his memo pad was full and his voice was almost gone.

But he did find out a couple things that looked useful, things he would bring up with Archer at his deposition. Jarrod had to admit to himself, he was salivating at the thought of actually deposing Phil Archer. Archer had been difficult over the years, and while he always acted professionally toward him, Jarrod secretly wanted some payback. It looked like now he was going to get it – so he had to be sure to rein himself in and behave like an ethical attorney should behave. He didn't want to let his personal feelings toward the man carry him away.

But he really didn't want to think what he was beginning to think. He didn't want to go where things seemed to be taking him.

It was well past dinner when Jarrod got home. Victoria and Audra were reading in the living room, but Nick, Heath and Springer – and Daisy – were nowhere around. "Where is everybody?" Jarrod asked as he put his briefcase and hat down on the table in the foyer.

"Playing pool," Audra said. "Daisy followed Nick to the door, so Mother said it was all right for her to be with the men this evening."

Jarrod chuckled. "Maybe she felt the need to protect Nick and Heath from Nat. He is an excellent pool player. Some money might be changing hands in there."

"Undoubtedly," Victoria said. "We heard a big groan out of Nick a while ago." Victoria put her book down and eyed her oldest as he went for a drink at the refreshment table. "You've had a very long day."

"Yes," Jarrod admitted and brought his drink to this thinking chair. "Fruitful, though. I think I'm getting somewhere on Nat's case."

Victoria still eyed him. "Then why don't you look happier?"

Jarrod didn't realize he had been scowling. "I don't necessarily like where I'm going." He perked up. "Anyway, it's nothing I can talk about yet, and I could use a sandwich or something. Pardon me, ladies."

Jarrod got up and went to the kitchen. Silas was finishing up cleaning the kitchen for the night, but he was used to Barkleys coming in at the last minute, especially Jarrod who was often coming home at a late hour. "Good evening, Mr. Jarrod," Silas said. "What can I get for you?"

"Is there anything I can make a sandwich out of, Silas?"

Silas opened the ice box door and pulled out a plateful of small sandwiches. "Ham. I was going to take them into the men in the library because they've been playing some serious pool in there."

Jarrod chuckled and took the plate from him. "Allow me. If I don't keep my hands on these, I may never get to eat one once I get them to the library."

Jarrod carried the plate and his scotch into the library, where his brothers and Springer were finishing up a game of pool. At least, Nick and Heath were handing money over to Springer, who was smiling.

"Jarrod, why didn't you tell us this man could play this game?" Nick asked unhappily.

"You didn't ask," Jarrod said, set the plate of sandwiches on the desk and grabbed one for himself. He noticed Daisy lying quietly in front of the desk. He half considered giving her a sandwich, but knew it was not a good idea. She was on duty, and she didn't seem interested in the sandwiches anyway.

Nick and Heath put their pool cues away and grabbed sandwiches. Springer held onto his cue, asking, "Did you find out anything today, Jarrod?"

"Yes, and you and I need to talk," Jarrod said. He looked at Nick and Heath. "Would you boys mind giving us the room?"

Nick and Heath headed for the door, Heath saying, "Not at all. It'll save us some money."

Jarrod gave a chuckle as Daisy followed them out the door. He closed the door behind them. "How much did you take them for?" he asked Springer.

"Oh, about five dollars a piece," Springer said and put his pool cue on the table. Then he leveled a hard look at his attorney. "What did you find out today?"

"Well," Jarrod said and finished off his sandwich. "For one thing, Sam Davison is taking over the case."

Springer looked surprised. "Archer's out?"

"As prosecutor, yes," Jarrod said, leaned against the edge of the desk and grabbed another sandwich. "Davison and I are both a little concerned that when they found Phil the other night to bring him to Big Annie's, they found him awfully close to her place already. He doesn't have a very good excuse for that."

Springer's mouth fell open. "Are you telling me you're thinking he's involved in this somehow?"

Jarrod shrugged a little. "It's just odd. I spent the day checking it out, and I'm going to depose him the day after tomorrow."

"You can't be serious," Springer said. "I'd believe I did it myself before I'd believe Archer killed that girl."

"Nat, if there's one thing I've learned in the past few years, it's that any man can murder someone if the conditions are right," Jarrod said. "Even Phil Archer."

Springer kept shaking his head. "No, no. Come on, Jarrod. We've both known Phil for a long time, and for one thing 'ladies of the trade' don't interest him."

"How do we know that, Nat?" Jarrod asked. "A lot of years have gone by since we were in school. Men change. Think about it. He goes to see Mandy to see if he can do the job, and he can't, and she laughs at him – you don't think a man, even Archer, wouldn't react badly to that?"

Springer looked like he was thinking about it, but he still shook his head. "What do you have that amounts to evidence, Jarrod?"

"Archer being where he wasn't supposed to be. An unlocked back door. Three different people seeing him closer to Big Annie's before he was found after the murder. A witness who saw him washing his hands at a horse trough just before the sheriff's deputy found him and took him to Mandy's room. Phil giving an excuse to Davison for where he was that doesn't add up to Davison."

Springer looked like he was going to fall over. "Even if all I had was that much, I could make it work. And that scares the hell out of me, Jarrod. Phil Archer?"

Jarrod nodded and finished his second sandwich. "I know, Nat. I don't like the man much myself, but to think he'd turn into a murderer is something that practically breaks my heart. I might be able to nail this down at his deposition – but I'm not going to like it very much."

"Are you going to try to get him to confess?"

Jarrod nodded slowly. "If Sam Davison doesn't do it first." Then he shook his head. "The thought of hanging Phil Archer turns my stomach."

"The thought of hanging me turns my stomach more," Springer said.

XXXXXXX

After Nick, Heath and Nat left to go out into the field the next morning, Jarrod gathered his paperwork together to head into town. He put his gunbelt and hat on, but before he could move toward the door, he heard a knock. Coming down the stairs, Silas began to head for the door, but Jarrod said, "I've got it, Silas," and went to it. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Phil Archer standing there.

On duty by the table in the foyer, Daisy raised her head, stared at Archer and growled.

Archer took his hat off and began to tremble, looking at Daisy. "Can't you get that dog to be still, Jarrod?"

Jarrod gave Daisy a look. Maybe Daisy had been trying to tell him something the last time Archer was here. "Daisy has her own way of looking at people, Phil," Jarrod said. "Come on in. She won't hurt you."

Archer came in cautiously. He didn't move any further in while Jarrod closed the door. He just kept staring at Daisy, who kept staring back with her low growl.

"Stay, Daisy," Jarrod said.

Daisy lowered her head back to the floor where she was lying and stopped growling, but she continued to stare at Archer.

Jarrod led Archer into the living room. "What can I do for you, Phil? Sam told me he was taking over the Peale case."

"Yes, he is," Archer said, still eyeing Daisy but giving it up as he and Jarrod entered the parlor. "That's not exactly why I'm here."

"What can I do for you?"

Archer finally looked at Jarrod and sighed. "I think I need a lawyer."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 _Jarrod led Archer into the living room. "What can I do for you, Phil? Sam told me he was taking over the Peale case."_

" _Yes, he is," Archer said, still eyeing Daisy but giving it up as he and Jarrod entered the parlor. "That's not exactly why I'm here."_

" _What can I do for you?"_

 _Archer finally looked at Jarrod and sighed. "I think I need a lawyer."_

Jarrod was surprised. "Is this about the Peale case, Phil?"

Archer nodded.

"Phil, you know I'm representing Nat Springer in that case, and I'm planning to depose you tomorrow," Jarrod said.

Now Archer looked surprised. He knew Jarrod was representing Springer, but he did not know about the planned deposition. Archer froze up almost completely, not knowing what to do now.

Jarrod went on. "Phil, why don't you go back to town and talk to Sam? Maybe that's the best thing for you to do right now."

Archer shook his head. "Sam is prosecuting. I need a lawyer to defend me."

"You think you're in trouble?"

Archer leveled a gaze at Jarrod. "You know I am. I know you've been asking around and you're focusing on me, not Nat, but you're all wrong."

"I go where the evidence leads me, Phil," Jarrod said. "But you and I don't need to be talking about this. Why don't you go see Steven Chandler? He's a capable attorney. Talk things over with him, see what he says about representing you."

Archer hesitated, his mouth open as if he wanted to say something but couldn't decide whether to do it or not.

Daisy raised her head and growled again.

Jarrod repeated, "Go see Steven Chandler, Phil."

"Jarrod – " Archer started.

Jarrod held a hand up to stop him. "No more, Phil. I can't talk to you about this."

Archer turned and went out the front door. Daisy watched him all the way, but as soon as the door closed, she turned her attention to Jarrod. He walked over and bent beside her. When he scratched her ear, she laid her head back down.

"I believe I should have listened to you about Archer from the beginning, Daisy," Jarrod said. "It just never occurred to me that he could possibly have been involved in this."

Daisy gave a little satisfied groan.

Jarrod had to laugh. It sounded like she was saying _it took you long enough to listen to me._

XXXXXXX

Jarrod was in town when Nick, Heath and Springer came back in at the end of the day. As soon as Nick spotted Daisy, he smiled, and Daisy lifted her head and wagged her tail. Nick laughed and scratched her ear. When Daisy sat up and scratched his leg, Nick said, "You know what, Daisy? I think I'll take a little walk with you," and they both went out through the front door.

Audra was coming in from the library and smiled. "For a little while today, I thought Daisy might be trading Nick in for Jarrod."

"Why's that?" Heath asked as he and Springer took off their gunbelts.

"Mr. Archer was here," Audra said, looking at Springer.

Springer looked surprised. "Here? Why?"

"I don't really know," Audra said, "but Jarrod was thanking Daisy all over the place for something after Mr. Archer left."

Heath shrugged at Springer and took their gunbelts to the hall. "Is Jarrod here?" Springer asked.

"He went into town and he's not back yet," Audra said. "He said he might be very late again."

"He's deposing Archer tomorrow," Springer said as Heath came back in. "He's probably going to be working on that." Springer began to look very anxious.

"Are you worried?" Audra asked.

"Audra, we best leave Nat's legal concerns to Jarrod," Heath said.

Springer shook his head. "No, it's nothing substantive. I just wish it were me conducting that deposition instead of Jarrod."

Heath remembered how Springer conducted his case when he was charged with murdering the man responsible for Charlie Whitehorse's killing. Springer liked to be in charge. "Don't give it a worry," Heath said. "I think you know by now that my brother can be counted on to come through for you."

Springer smiled. "Oh, of course, I know that. That's why I hired him. I just – well, you know how I am."

Heath chuckled. "I do."

Surprisingly, Jarrod came in the front door. Audra said, "Jarrod, we didn't expect you until later."

Jarrod took his gunbelt and hat off and took them to the hall, saying, "I want to spend a little time with Nat about this deposition tomorrow. Nat, I got to thinking you would be anxious to help. You never did like not being in charge."

"No more than you every liked it," Springer said. "But thanks."

"Get cleaned up," Jarrod said. "We'll have at it after dinner."

Heath and Springer both headed upstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Audra said, "I can't believe you're deposing Mr. Archer in this."

"Neither can I," Jarrod said. "But these things go the way they go."

"Do you really think you can get Mr. Springer off?"

Jarrod nodded. "I do. I'm hoping I can do it before we get to a trial."

"You don't think Mr. Archer killed that woman, do you?"

"I don't know, Audra," Jarrod said. "And I don't want to talk about it right now. Right now, I want a drink. How about you? Sherry?"

"Yes, please," Audra said as Jarrod headed for the refreshment table. She followed him, saying, "I do hope you can get Mr. Springer off. I'm beginning to like him."

Jarrod chuckled. "I think Nick and even Heath are beginning to as well. Working and living close to someone can make you see a man's better side." Jarrod poured her a sherry and handed it to her.

"Is that why I love you so much?" she asked with a smile.

Jarrod smiled and kissed her forehead.

XXXXXXXX

After dinner, Jarrod and Springer went back into the library to talk about Archer, his deposition, and the way things were beginning to turn in Jarrod's investigation. Jarrod explained the questions he planned to ask Archer, and then asked a surprise question of Springer. "After you left Mandy, on your way back to the hotel, did you see Archer anywhere?"

Springer looked surprised, and he thought about it. "No. No, I didn't. But then I wasn't really looking at anybody anyway. I just wanted to get back to my room and – well, clean up."

Jarrod nodded. "Did you see anyone upstairs at Big Annie's when you left?"

Springer shook his head. "Only Big Annie and the men waiting downstairs, but Jarrod, I didn't know who any of those men were."

"Don't worry, I do. They don't know you either. It would have helped if someone had seen Mandy after you left, but so far I haven't found anyone who did."

"Except maybe Archer."

Jarrod nodded. "Except maybe Archer. Of course I'll ask him tomorrow, but he'll lie."

"If anyone admitted they saw her after I left, that would put them directly in my place as the chief suspect," Springer completed the thought.

Jarrod nodded.

Springer looked Jarrod straight in the eye. "I'd like to be at that deposition with you tomorrow."

Jarrod quickly shook his head. "No. That's a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Because having you there will make Phil clam up completely. We won't get anywhere at all. You stay out here on the ranch. If I need you, I'll send somebody to the chuck wagon."

Springer groaned. "I'll never take my wife for granted again, now that I've been the cook and bottle washer."

"Nat," Jarrod said, "you are going to have to tell her about this. Any minute now, somebody from the San Francisco press is going to catch on and it'll be in the papers there."

"I know," Springer said. "After we see how this deposition goes tomorrow, if it doesn't go well for me, I'll send for her."

"Of course, we'll put her up here at the ranch so the press can't get at her," Jarrod said. "But tomorrow if I'm lucky – if we're lucky – I'll be able to send you home and you can iron out things with your wife privately."

"Let's get to the deposition, then. Tell me about what you're planning to ask him."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

At breakfast in the morning, Nick and Audra dropped a surprise on everyone. "Nick and I are going to take Daisy in to meet the orphans this morning," Audra said with a big smile.

Everyone else smiled, too. "That should be the highlight of their day," Jarrod said. "And Daisy's, too. Have you told her yet, Nick?"

"I told her when I came down this morning," Nick said. "I'm not sure she understood."

"She understands more than we think," Jarrod said. "I don't know how she does it, but I'll bet she knows something special is going to happen today, even if she doesn't know exactly what it is."

Nick gave a look over his shoulder. At her duty spot in the foyer, Daisy looked up. Nick gave her a smile and went back to eating. "I hope she's good with kids, Jarrod."

"Seems to be," Jarrod said.

"Will I need that crate you brought her in?"

Jarrod shook his head. "Put her in the back of a wagon and she'll be fine. I only had her in the crate because the trip was so long. What time are you coming in?"

"About nine," Audra said.

Jarrod suddenly looked like he was thinking very hard. "Tell you what," he said. "Come by my office first."

"Why?" Nick asked.

Jarrod said, "I'd like her to have a look at the place. I might need her skills someday. You know how many unfriendlies tend to come around."

Nobody believed that. They all knew Phil Archer was to be deposed today. "You're gonna use her to sniff out Archer, aren't you?" Nick asked.

"No, she's already sniffed him out a couple times," Jarrod said. He left unsaid that he hoped seeing Daisy would intimidate Archer into being more truthful. "I just want her to have a look at the place, and since you're going to have her in town, why not have her come by today?"

Springer knew what Jarrod was up to, but he didn't say anything. He'd be doing the same thing, if he were taking the deposition. He just smiled.

XXXXXXX

Phil Archer came into Jarrod's office with his attorney, Steven Chandler, only a minute or two before nine and just after Sam Davison arrived. Everyone shook hands, but Jarrod noticed Archer's were clammy, and the man looked more uneasy than he normally did. "Phil, Steve, can I offer you some coffee?"

"No, thank you, Jarrod," Charndler said, and Archer shook his head as well.

"The court reporter is getting set up," Jarrod said, nodding toward his inner office, "and I hope you don't mind if we start a minute or two late, but I'm expecting my brother and sister. They're doing me a little favor. It won't take long, only a minute or two."

Davison said, "Steve, why don't you and Phil go on in and get comfortable at the table in Jarrod's office?"

"Fine," Chandler said, and he escorted Archer into the inner office.

Davison said to Jarrod, "You didn't mention your brother and sister were coming in."

"I didn't know they'd be in town until this morning," Jarrod said.

Davison gave him an odd look, "What do you have up your sleeve?"

"Nothing important," Jarrod lied. "We have a new guard dog at the house. She's a sweetheart, and Audra wanted Nick to bring her in to visit at the orphanage. I wanted her to get a look at my office, in case I decide to use her here at some point."

"A guard dog who's a sweetheart?" Davison asked. "I don't think I believe that."

"She is a sweetheart – to most people," Jarrod said. "She's a fine judge of character, though."

"You want her to have a look at Phil."

"She already has."

Nick and Audra came in then, cutting short the conversation. Nick had Daisy on a leash. She saw Jarrod and gave a tail wag.

"Hello, Daisy," Jarrod said, and then he pointed to the rest of the room. "Look, Daisy."

It was a command neither Nick nor Audra had heard before, but Daisy knew what it meant. Nick let go of the leash. Daisy began to sniff around, alarming Jarrod's secretary a bit before she looked up at Angie and wagged her tail. But then Daisy paused by the door to the inner office – and she gave a low growl.

Jarrod opened the door for her. "Look, Daisy," he said.

Daisy went in, Jarrod right behind her, Davison right behind him. Audra stayed in the outer office, but Nick parked himself in the doorway, watching.

Daisy stopped just inside the door and stared at Phil Archer, who was sitting at the table. Then she gave a low growl. Even the court reporter and Chandler stiffened at that sound.

"Jarrod, what the hell is this?" Archer said.

"Stay, Daisy," Jarrod said, and Daisy quit growling. "Phil, please mind your language. There are ladies here. Daisy is just checking out my office. Daisy, look."

Daisy began sniffing around the office.

"Is that dog vicious?" Chandler asked.

"No, she's well trained," Jarrod said. "What she's doing now is getting familiar with my office in case I want to use her here, and then she's going to go play at the orphanage."

Daisy finished looking around and came back to Nick's side, where she sat down and looked at Archer again. And growled again. As Nick took hold of her leash, he said, "Daisy, stay," and Daisy quieted down.

"Thank you, Nick," Jarrod said. "You can go on. Thank you, Audra!" he called to his sister in the outer office. And then he smiled at Daisy. "Thank you, Daisy," he said.

Nick, Audra and Daisy left then, and Jarrod closed the door to the outer office. "What was that about?" Archer asked again.

"Just what I said it was," Jarrod said. "Daisy's finished now. She knows what my office is like – more important, she knows what it smells like. She has a very good nose for scents, especially abnormal ones."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Chandler put his hand on his client's arm, to calm Archer down. "Phil, we know you're nervous, but it was just a dog. Get yourself together and let's knock this deposition out."

Davison sat down at the table, while Jarrod fetched a file from his desk. He then sat down at the table, too, saying, "Indeed, lets. We can be through with this in an hour or so, I think. Are you ready for the oath?"

Archer cast a wary glare Jarrod's way, and he did not look anywhere else as the court reporter recited the oath. "Do you swear and affirm under penalty of perjury that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

Archer still stared at Jarrod, but his glare softened just a hair. "I do," he said.

Jarrod opened his file with a slight smile. "Then let's get started."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jarrod started Archer off with the standard preliminary questions – name, address, occupation, employer. Then he asked Archer to describe his duties as Assistant District Attorney. After Archer did so, Jarrod asked, "As part of your job, were you until recently responsible for the prosecution of a man named Nathan Springer?"

"I was," Archer said.

"And you have been relieved of those duties?"

"As of yesterday, yes."

"Were you given any reasons for being removed from that case?"

"Only that the District Attorney was taking over the case himself."

"Did he tell you why?"

"No."

"Did you make any assumptions as to why?"

Archer hesitated. ""Mr. Springer is a well-known attorney from San Francisco. I just assumed Mr. Davison wanted the case against him."

Jarrod changed subjects. "Mr. Springer is accused of murdering a young prostitute named Mandy Peale, isn't that correct?"

"Yes."

"Describe how you became involved in that case in the first place."

Archer swallowed. "The sheriff's deputy found me as he was heading for the District Attorney's office and took me to the deceased's room."

"Which was where?"

"At Big Annie's."

"Which is where?"

"A few blocks up from the waterfront."

"And what is Big Annie's business?"

Archer took a deep breath. "She runs a house of prostitution."

Jarrod let go the fact that Big Annie's business was illegal – it wasn't pertinent to the case and had been a bone of contention politically in Stockton for quite some time. "Exactly where were you when the sheriff's deputy found you?"

"About three blocks further toward the courthouse from Big Annie's."

"And what time was this?"

"About nine forty, nine forty-five."

Jarrod abruptly switched topics again. "Had you ever met Mandy Peale before that night?"

Archer knew the way Jarrod often shifted like that, to catch a witness off guard, so he wasn't surprised by the tactic. He was surprised by the question. "No, I never met Miss Peale."

"This was the first time you'd seen her?"

"To my knowledge."

"Why were you in that part of the town, Mr. Archer?"

Archer hesitated but said, "I was looking for a witness in another one of my cases."

"What case?"

"The Strong case."

"What witness?"

"A saloon keeper near the waterfront."

"The name of that saloon keeper?"

"Auburn Toole."

"Did you find him?"

"I didn't have a chance. The deputy's sheriff came and got me."

Jarrod shifted again, this time completely unexpectedly. "Why were you washing your hands in a watering trough near where the deputy found you?"

Chandler looked surprised, and so did Davison. Archer turned pale. "What?"

"I spoke to a witness who saw you washing your hands not long before the deputy ran into you," Jarrod said. "Why were you washing your hands?"

"I wasn't washing my hands," Archer said.

"What were you doing at the watering trough?"

"I wasn't doing anything at any watering trough."

"Are you saying my witness was lying?"

"I'm saying your witness mistook me for someone else."

Jarrod shifted once more. "When you went into Big Annie's that night – was that the first time you'd ever been to Big Annie's?"

"It was," Archer said.

"How did you get in?"

"The deputy took me in through the front door."

"And then?"

"Then up the stairs to the deceased's room."

"Is that the first time you ever saw Mandy Peale?"

"Yes."

Jarrod kept at it for another half an hour, shifting his questions around, trying to nail Archer down on as many facts as he was willing to give him. Jarrod knew that some of them – like his washing his hands at the watering trough – were not true. He listed them in his notes, and the list was beginning to grow when Jarrod came to the end of his questions.

"Mr. Archer," Jarrod said, leveling a hard gaze on him, purposely as hard as Daisy's gaze had been, "are you absolutely sure of the name of the witness you were trying to find on the night Miss Peale was killed?"

"Yes," Archer said.

"And the case involved?"

"Yes." Then suddenly he added something. "I didn't have the witness's name in my notes yet so the file won't show it."

"Not in your notes?" Jarrod said. "Isn't it standard practice to make note of every witness, whether you interview him or not?"

Archer hesitated. "Yes, but I just hadn't gotten to it yet. I had just learned the witness's name earlier in the day."

Jarrod kept his glare on Archer, but Archer didn't flinch. "That's all I have," Jarrod said.

Chandler asked some clarifying questions that didn't do a very good job of clarifying. As this deposition went on, Jarrod believed more and more that Archer was tap dancing his way through, inventing answers and even lying a few times. Jarrod exchanged looks with Davison as Chandler finished up his questions. Davison declined to ask Archer anything.

With that, Archer and Chandler left, and when the court reporter had packed up and gone, Jarrod closed the door behind him. He and Davison looked at each other. "Sam," Jarrod said, "I don't like saying this, but Phil told several lies in this deposition, the worst being his denial that he was washing his hands in that watering trough just before the deputy found him."

"Jarrod, are you sure your witness couldn't have been wrong about that?" Davison asked.

"I'm sure," Jarrod said.

"Chandler's gonna want to know who that witness is, probably take a deposition of his own, if we implicate Archer in this killing."

"I know that," Jarrod said, "but Phil has implicated himself. If he doesn't come clean as to what his involvement is, you know how badly it could go for him."

"Who is the witness who saw him washing his hands?" Davison asked.

"A bar-keep at the Brown Gull saloon," Jarrod said. "He was taking some empty crates into the alley where he saw Phil."

"He couldn't be mistaken?"

Jarrod shook his head. "He was positive. He saw him in the light from a storeroom across the alley. He knew Archer because Archer had been in his saloon before."

"Phil? In a saloon near the waterfront? I find that hard to believe."

"So did I, but this bar-keep described Phil to a T."

"Did Phil see the bar-keep in that alley?"

Jarrod shook his head. "It doesn't look like it."

Davison heaved a sigh. "I'm going to have to suspend him, Jarrod. Suspend him and investigate this further."

"What about Nat Springer? Are you going to dismiss the charges?"

"I can't do that yet, but I can get the trial postponed."

Suddenly, they heard a commotion out in the street, men yelling – and a dog barking. It was Daisy. Jarrod recognized her bark. He ran to his window that overlooked the street, and he saw Nick holding onto Daisy's leash as she barked continuously at Archer and Chandler, all of them in the street.

Jarrod ran out of his office, wondering what in the world had happened out there and hoping Nick had a firm hold on Daisy.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

By the time Jarrod and Davison got down the street, Daisy had calmed down and was sitting quietly beside Nick. Archer and Chandler were still frozen in place, Chandler beginning to breathe again but Archer was unmoving, staring at the dog.

"Get the dog out of here," Chandler said.

Jarrod put himself between Daisy and the men she was eyeing. "Steve, why don't you and Phil just move off quietly and go back to your office? Daisy won't bother you anymore."

"She better not, or I'll have her shot!" Archer said as Chandler took hold of his arm and the two of them backed away. In a moment they had crossed the street and disappeared down an intersecting street.

Jarrod turned toward Nick and Daisy, but Nick was just shrugging. Daisy looked perfectly calm, sitting attentively, wagging her tail. Jarrod reached down to her, and Daisy put her muzzle into his hand so he could pet her. She seemed perfectly all right. "She doesn't like Phil much," Jarrod said.

"Good judge of character," Nick said.

"Maybe more than we know," Jarrod said.

Davison didn't hear what they had said to each other. He just stepped up beside Jarrod and said, "I'll be back at my office. I'll talk to you later today, Jarrod."

"All right," Jarrod said, nodding. Then, as Davison walked away, Jarrod turned toward Nick. "I think you'd better get Daisy on home."

"That's where I was about to go," Nick said. "We left the wagon at the livery. I was headed there, and Daisy just started growling and barking when she saw Archer. I just stayed here and finally calmed her down."

Jarrod nodded. "Did Archer do anything that set Daisy off?"

Nick shook his head. "Not that I saw. Daisy just got one look at him and started barking. How'd that deposition go?"

"About like I expected," Jarrod said, but he would not go into details. "Was Daisy all right at the orphanage?"

"A princess. The kids climbed all over her and she ate it up. We're going to come back again in a few days. What Daisy has against Archer, I don't know, other than he's a worm."

Jarrod had been giving it some thought, about what in Archer was angering Daisy every single time she was near him. He wondered if it could be what he thought it was – that somehow she could sense, probably with that incredible nose, that the man was a liar. Men tended to sweat more when they lied. Maybe that or something else was giving off a scent that Daisy knew she didn't like. Jarrod just shrugged to Nick. "Dogs smell what we can't. There's something she doesn't like about the way Archer smells."

Nick said, "Daisy's not the only one. Will you pick Audra up at the orphanage when you can and bring her home?"

Jarrod nodded, and Nick went on his way, Daisy ambling obediently at his side.

Jarrod gave himself a moment to figure out where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. It was still too early in the day for lunch or a drink, but he needed to be out of his office for a while. He took a walk.

XXXXXXX

Three o'clock rolled around, and back at his office Jarrod decided to pack up his notes from the deposition and take them home to go over. He was tired, and Audra needed a ride home. He was just about to head out the door when his secretary knocked on the door and poked her head in. "Mr. Barkley, Mr. Davison is here."

"Send him in," Jarrod said.

Jarrod was standing at the table where they had held the deposition. Sam Davison came over to him, saying, "Well, I had a long talk with Chandler and Archer."

"And?" Jarrod asked.

"I suspended Archer pending further investigation into some of the allegations you made in your questions in the deposition."

"How'd Archer take that?"

"Not well," Davison said with a sigh, "and it leaves me without an Assistant DA."

"I'd offer my services, but it's still my client you have on the hook for this murder," Jarrod said.

"I've moved to postpone the trial and set another date later, if necessary," Davison said. "I assume you won't object."

"I'd rather you dismiss the charges, but I understand. Is Nat free to go home to San Francisco?"

"The judge isn't too keen on that, but I submitted an order on that with my motion and he said he'd sign it if you file agreeing to the indefinite postponement."

"I'll do that right away. Do you have a copy of the motion for me?"

Davison took the paper out of his breast pocket and handed it over. Jarrod read it. It was short and sweet. He nodded. "I'll have Angie type up an agreement to your motion and file it before I leave for the day. Sam, I am really sorry about all this. I have no love for Phil Archer, but he was a friend once, and I don't like this any better than you do."

"I know that," Davison said and headed for the door.

"Is Phil under arrest yet?"

"No, but he's agreed not to leave town. I guess he'll be getting a lot of practice on that saxhorn of his."

Jarrod chuckled a little as Davison left, but only a little. He found himself unexplainably sad over what was happening to Phil Archer. He never dreamed Archer would ever have gotten himself into a mess like this, or that he'd be the one to catch Archer at it. Jarrod left his briefcase, but went into the outer office and asked his secretary type up an agreement to the trial postponement. "I need to run to the orphanage to fetch my sister," he said. "Do you think you can have that ready for me in about fifteen minutes?"

"Certainly, Mr. Barkley," Angie said.

"I'll be right back," Jarrod said and headed out the door.

XXXXXXX

Dinner was a happy occasion at the Barkley house. Nat Springer was sprung from further duty at the chuck wagon and was more than ready to go home to San Francisco, and even though Nick and Heath were happy to get rid of him as a field hand, they weren't as happy as they thought they would have been.

"There's a job here for you when you need it, Nat," Heath even said

Springer gave him a doubtful eye. "I think I'll try to stay out of trouble and stick to the law."

After dinner, Jarrod met with Springer in the library and explained to him in more detail what was going on. "Of course, if you are called back here to Stockton, I and the court will be expecting you to return without any objection," Jarrod said.

Springer nodded. "After I talk to my wife about all this, I may be back here before you know it. I see a divorce in my future."

"Aw, Nat, maybe not," Jarrod said. "Not if you change your ways and beg forgiveness."

"Can I leave on the morning train?" Springer asked.

Jarrod nodded. "The order is signed and you're free to go on the midnight train if you want."

"No, I think I better be well rested before I face my wife." Springer extended his hand. "Jarrod – I don't know how to repay you."

"Pay your bill when you get it," Jarrod said, shaking Springer's hand, "but take heart. The wages Nick owes you will be deducted from the bill."

"How much is that? Three dollars?"

"Something like that," Jarrod said with a chuckle. "Come on, now, let's join the family for a nightcap brandy to close out your little vacation with us."

"You'll let me know how things go with Phil, won't you?" Springer said as the two of them left the library. "I detest the little weasel even more after he framed me, but I hate to see what's happening to an old school chum."

"I'll stay in touch," Jarrod said. "With any luck, he'll confess before the train even arrives in San Francisco."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

There wasn't any luck. The next day, Jarrod took Springer to the train station and saw him off, but nothing else of note happened. Jarrod spotted Davison while he was in the courthouse filing paper on another case and asked if anything was new, but Davison just shook his head. "Still investigating," he said. "It might take another week or so."

Jarrod gave a weary nod. "I sent Springer home this morning. I'm not sure he was happy to go. He has to face his wife now."

"I wouldn't be in his shoes, but then again, I don't frequent Big Annie's."

Jarrod didn't respond to that. He didn't want to get into a discussion about frequenting Big Annie's. He just gave Davison a wave and left the courthouse.

The next morning at breakfast, Jarrod was reminded that Nick was taking Daisy back to the orphanage. "That's a pretty quick second visit, isn't it?" Jarrod asked.

"It's little Mary's birthday," Audra said. "She said she wanted Daisy to come back as her birthday present."

"You might lose that dog, Nick," Heath said. "She might get to liking all the attention from all those little kids."

"Well, it's not my decision," Nick said. "She's Jarrod's dog, remember? His fee."

"No, she's yours now, Nick," Jarrod said. "She adopted you. And if she dumps you for the orphans – "

"If she dumps me for the orphans, I'll understand," Nick said. "They could actually use a guard dog around there."

"They don't have anyone guarding the place except for the sisters," Audra said.

"Well, then, maybe we ought to talk about it with the sisters," Nick said.

"Are you serious?" Victoria asked. "I thought you adored that dog."

"I do," Nick said, "but the sisters really need her more than we do. Shall I open negotiations, Jarrod?"

"Up to you, Nick," Jarrod said. "I know we'd miss her, but it's not like she's being shipped off to Sacramento. Audra would be seeing her all the time."

"Nick, if you would offer Daisy to the orphanage, you'd make me a very happy little sister," Audra said.

"Then we'll talk about it today," Nick said. "That is – " He turned and looked toward Daisy, lying in her duty spot. She looked up at him. "Daisy, how do you like the orphans?"

Daisy wagged her tail and sat up, and darned if it didn't look to all of them like she was smiling.

XXXXXXX

Jarrod rode his horse into town, following along with Nick, Audra and Daisy in the wagon. Daisy lay down comfortably in the back of the wagon, but now and then she opened her eyes to make sure Jarrod was still back there. Jarrod couldn't help but smile at that. Sure, they had other dogs, but Daisy had won everyone's heart, and since she was a house dog, she had become a more sentimental part of the household. Still, Jarrod could understand Nick and Audra wanting to offer her to the orphanage. Jarrod had been concerned about the lack of security there on more than one occasion. When Jeff Bowden escaped and took over the schoolhouse came to mind. With a big, furry, footstool of a guard dog at the orphanage, the kids would be happy and the Jeff Bowdens of the world – and the wandering town drunks – would probably stay away.

Once they entered town, they went to livery stable, where Jarrod left his horse and Nick left the wagon. Nick put the leash on Daisy before he had her jump down. Daisy shook all over, then sat right down beside Nick, looking up at him for instructions.

Jarrod saw that look in Nick's eyes. He was starting to waffle on his decision to give Daisy up. "Changing your mind, Nick?" Jarrod asked.

Nick smiled, embarrassed, and shook his head. "No," he said, giving Daisy's head a rub. "I was thinking on the way here. She'll be a good guard dog, and the kids will get some practice taking care of an animal this size. And Daisy will get all the affection she could want."

Jarrod gave Nick a slap on the back, and the four of them left the livery.

Jarrod pealed off and headed for his office, but he'd hardly gone half a block before he heard a familiar growl and then vigorous barking. He turned and looked – and there was Nick, trying to keep Audra behind him and Daisy's leash hard in his grasp. Daisy was barking wildly at someone, a man in grubby work clothes. Jarrod headed toward them and was astonished to find as he drew close that the seedy looking man Daisy was barking at was Phil Archer.

"Phil!" Jarrod yelled at him as he drew close. "Phil, what the devil – "

Archer was terrified, frozen to the spot, but suddenly he turned on Jarrod with a gun in his hand. Jarrod stopped dead where he was, about fifteen feet away. Archer yelled, "Just stay right there! Right there!"

Daisy kept barking, and Archer turned on her. Terrified that Archer was going to shoot her right there in the street, Jarrod started forward again, slowly, to draw his attention. "Phil, what are you doing? Put the gun down." Jarrod tried talking calmly but Daisy's barking was making Archer more nervous by the minute.

Nick pulled on Daisy's leash. "Daisy! Stay!"

Daisy sat down beside Nick and grew more quiet, but she still growled a low growl and never took her eyes off Archer. Nick kept his eyes on the man, too, but he slipped his hand to his sidearm, ready to draw it if he had to. Behind Nick and Daisy, Audra stood shivering, looking back and forth from Archer to Jarrod.

"Phil, what's this about?" Jarrod asked, calmly and quietly, stepping closer slowly.

Archer kept turning nervously from Jarrod to Daisy. Breathing hard, almost afraid to speak, he finally said, "I want out of here, Jarrod. Just let me get out of here."

"And go where?" Jarrod asked.

"I'm not under arrest," Archer said. "I can go wherever I want to go."

"Why this get-up you're wearing?" Jarrod asked, now maybe eight feet away. "You're right, you're not under arrest but you agreed not to leave town. Why this disguise? This isn't you."

"What's me?" Archer cried. "How do you know what's me?! How did any of you ever know what's me?!"

"Phil, come on," Jarrod said. "Put the gun down. Let's go over to my office and talk."

"No, Jarrod, I'm done here and I'm leaving. Now get this dog out of here!"

"Phil," Jarrod said, "just give me the gun and Nick will take Daisy and Audra away. You and I can go talk."

"Talk?! What is there to talk about?! I'm leaving this town right now and you're not going to stop me!"

Apparently startled because Archer was beginning to yell, Daisy suddenly started up again. Nick ordered her to stay, but it was too late. Archer was turning on her.

Nick didn't get a chance to draw before Archer fired.

But Jarrod did. He hit Archer and Archer's shot went wild as he went down in the street. Jarrod ran to him and kicked the gun away from him. He bent beside him, checked and hoped he hadn't hit the man bad, but he had.

Archer lay there on his side, crying finally. Jarrod saw a bad gut wound. He knew this was going to be the end of Phil Archer, and Jarrod felt tears sting his eyes. He put his gun away. "Phil," Jarrod moaned. "What were you trying to do?"

"Get away," Archer breathed. "I just wanted to get away. I was coming to get – " He coughed. "I wanted to get a wagon and just move - just move out of – here – while I could – but the dog – knew me and Nick – stopped me - "

Jarrod ran his hand over Archer's hair, like he was a child. "Phil, did you kill Mandy Peale?"

Archer looked at Jarrod. All the defenses were down now. "She laughed at me. I couldn't – and she laughed at me. I went in through the back – I'd never been there before but I wanted – and she laughed at me. Jarrod – "

Archer grabbed Jarrod's hand. Nick had taken his hand from his own sidearm and loosened his grip on Daisy's leash. Daisy sat attentively, watching Archer and Jarrod. She was relaxed now, the danger passed.

Archer's grip on Jarrod's hand started to loosen, but Jarrod held on tight. Archer said, "I didn't want to shoot the dog - just fire over her. I wouldn't have – really – "

"Phil, I'm sorry," Jarrod said.

"No, I am," Archer said. "For everything. For Nat. For Mandy Peale. For you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Archer dissolved into tears. Before Nick knew it was happening, before Jarrod saw her coming, Daisy had pulled away from Nick and was right there with Archer, licking his face, licking his hands, wagging her tail.

Archer fell completely apart. He reached up to pet the dog. Now that he had confessed, now that he had repented, Daisy had forgiven him completely, unconditionally. Daisy licked his face again. It was only a moment later that Archer was gone.

Jarrod ran a hand over Daisy's head, whispering his thanks. Nick came and took her by the leash again. Behind them, Audra drew close and buried her head in Nick's back.

Jarrod made no attempt at all to hide his tears.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jarrod sat in the waiting room of the undertaker's office. They had brought Phil Archer's body here and the undertaker was seeing to him while Jarrod took care of the paperwork, but he kept starting and stopping, starting and stopping. He was completely stunned by what had happened out in the street. It seemed so unreal, Archer in workman's garb trying to rent a wagon to leave town, to get away from the murder charge that surely was coming. Phil Archer had murdered a prostitute, and Jarrod shot him. Shot him. For Jarrod, it was like the whole world had just suddenly tilted 45 degrees and wouldn't right itself.

And Daisy. Apparently all she needed to hear, or see, or smell, or something, was that Archer was sorry for what he'd done. Daisy had comforted him in his last moments with nothing but forgiveness in her big heart. But of course, Daisy was a dog. She couldn't remember that even if she forgave Phil Archer, even if they all forgave Phil Archer, Mandy Peale was still dead.

While Jarrod sat there trying to go over and sign the papers for Archer's burial, Sam Davison came in. He looked as baffled and unreal as Jarrod felt. "Jarrod – "

Jarrod wiped tears from his face for the tenth time. "Sam," he said and sat back from the little desk he was working at.

Davison sat down in a chair next to the desk. "I can't believe this. I should have seen it coming, Phil making a run for it, but I just didn't – "

"Don't blame yourself, Sam," Jarrod said. "I didn't see it coming either. Have you been out to his place to see it's secure?"

"I went with the sheriff. We just got back. Phil had packed up all his personal things and was ready to load that wagon he was going to rent. I figure he thought we wouldn't recognize him in that outfit he was wearing, and he was right. I'd never seen him look that rough."

"Packed up all his things, huh?"

"Lock, stock and – saxhorn."

Jarrod had to chuckle just a little, sadly. Phil and his saxhorn. Now they'd never hear that sound of an elephant bellowing along the road again. "Sam, there was no better way for this to end up," Jarrod said wearily. "He killed Mandy Peale, he let Nat Springer be charged for it. All because he couldn't – well, he couldn't get the job done and she laughed at him."

"He was such a little weasel of a guy," Davison said, "but he was a good Assistant DA."

"I know," Jarrod said.

"Jarrod, I hate to ask this of you, but I've got no assistant now and the workload is just too much for one man. Can you fill in until I find someone else? Just part time. I'll start looking for a replacement right away."

"Replacement," Jarrod said slowly. "I'm not sure anybody can replace Phil. Yes, I can fill in part time. Let me get some things out of the way today and I'll come see you in the morning."

Davison got up and offered his hand. Jarrod stood long enough to see the man out, then he sat and finished up the paperwork.

In less than fifteen more minutes, Jarrod had paid for Archer's funeral and had a last moment with the man. _Why the hell did this have to happen?_ Jarrod wondered. _We were friends in school. What did the years do to you, Phil? Was there anything I could have done to prevent this?_

Jarrod left with the questions forever unanswered. As he stepped out in the street, he saw Nick walking up his way, and they met at the edge of the street in front of the mercantile.

"You all right, Jarrod?" Nick asked.

Jarrod nodded. "I got Phil's funeral taken care of, and I'm going to be taking over his workload until Sam gets somebody new."

"You sure you got time for all that?"

"It won't be for long. I'll manage."

Nick didn't think it looked like Jarrod was managing very well right now. "There was nothing you could do to stop this, Jarrod. Archer was gonna go to the gallows even if you hadn't shot him. You did him a favor."

"Maybe," Jarrod said, "but killing an old friend – it's gonna hurt for a long time." Jarrod shook his head. "Things went all wrong, Nick. First Bret Schuyler, now Phil Archer. Things just went all wrong with my old friends, and I got nothing but luckier."

"You've had your share of trouble too, Jarrod."

"But I had your help. I worked through it. They didn't."

"You can't go blaming yourself for that."

"I'm not. I'm just – sorry." Jarrod took a deep breath. "Did you talk to the sisters about Daisy?"

Nick nodded, with a wistful smile. "Daisy's got a new home. She's already adopted my replacement – Sister Theresa."

"A woman? That's unusual for Daisy."

"Well, Sister Theresa is the boss around there. It looks like that's who Daisy adopts, the boss."

They started walking down the street toward Jarrod's office. "Well, I guess you are kind of the boss at the house and that's why she adopted you. How are you doing? Are you going to be all right without her?"

"I'll see her once a week when I deliver her food, and Audra will see her practically every day. And you should see those kids, climbing all over her, and she just eats up the attention. They'll all be fine, and I will, too. But you're out your fee you got her for."

Jarrod shrugged. "No matter. I've got bigger losses to get over."

Nick put his arm around Jarrod's shoulders as they walked. "Just don't let them drag you down too far, Pappy."

"I won't," Jarrod said. And then he perked up a little. "What would you say if I brought home a saxhorn?"

"I'd kick you out to one of the line shacks for the rest of your life."

"I didn't say I'd play it. But I think I'd like to have it around, if I can get it."

Nick gave a nod. "In that case, bring 'er on home. Maybe she'd make a good umbrella stand."

"Or a 'horn of plenty' for the Thanksgiving table?"

"Or a bucket for the fire brigade….."

The End

Note: Archer actually played a tuba in the TV show but I didn't want to leave the impression that it was like a modern big round thing with the big bell that we call a tuba now. The saxhorn was popular during the Civil War and looked just like Archer's instrument but had a longer bell, not bigger around. No one plays it much today, but Adolph Sax left a more popular instrument, the saxophone. And I just like writing the word "saxhorn."


End file.
